Apparatus for lighting and extinguishing gas burners from a. distance



Jan. 13. 1925. 1,523,271

- P, MINAUX APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS BURNERS FROM A DISTANCE Filed May 9, 1923 HIT; [#F

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Fig. 2

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Patented Jan. 13, i925.

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PIERRE MINAUX, OF FER-RIERES, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISI-IING GAS BURNERS FROM A DISTANGE.

Application filed May 9, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PIERRE MINAUX, a citizen of the French Republic, and residing in F errieres, Loiret, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. and Relating to Apparatus for Lighting and Extinguishing Gas Burners from a Distance, of which the following is a complete specification. V

This invention relates to an apparatus for lighting and extinguishing gas burners at a distance.

The invention is more particularly characterized by the fact that there is mounted on the pipe which controls the, supply of gas to the burner a lever and acounterweight system which is variable and acts in opposition to the pressure of the gas for the purpose, on the one hand, of producing by an increase in the pressure of the gas, the placing of the pipe in the gas distributing position, and consequently the operation of the corresponding burner, and on the other hand to ensure these parts being securely held in this distributingposition after the return to normal pressure in consequence of a variation, eifected'automatically, in the position of the lever and the counterweights.

p In the accompanying drawing which rep resents a constructional example of'the subject matter of the invention:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partially in vertical section, showing the construction of the apparatus according'to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar View of the lower part of the gas burner showing the parts in the position they occupy when the burner is in operation.

On the socket 1 which is intended to be fixed by screwing for example to the supply pipe (not shown) for the illuminating gas is fixed a casing 2 carrying at its upper part the burner 3 which is of the usual construction and with which it is adapted to communicate through an orifice a, formed in the centre of its upper wall and of circular form for example. i This casing 2 contains at its lower part a liquid of any suitable nature, such tor example as mercury, glycerine or the like into which dips a bell 5, rigidly connected to a tube 6, which in the out position, shown in Fig. 1, is caused by the weight of the hell 5 to immerse its lower end in a capsule 7 containing a liquid Serial No. 637,750.

8 such as mercury, which completely cuts off the inside of the bell from the outside.

The capsule 7 is preferably mounted on the upper end of a gas supply pipe 9 provided close to its upper end with escape holes 10 which open into the bell 5 and keep this latter in constant communication with the gas mains. There therefore exlsts constantly in the interior of this bell 5 a pressure which is determined by the gas works supplying the gas.

To the pipe 6 is pivoted by one forked end a lever 11 also pivoted at 12 to a suitable bracket on the casing 2 and carrying on one screw-threaded end 13, a movable counterweight 14. This lever 11 has an arm 15 provided at its end with a fixed counterweight 16, the direction of this arm 15 being such that it is practically vertical for the out position of the burner the action of the counterweight 16 being then almost negligible. The whole is completed by a pilot light 17 of suitable construction.

The burner works as follows:

During the day, the pressure being maintained at a sufficiently low fixed value mm. for example) the parts will occupy the position shown inFig. 1. The weight of the bell 5 and of the parts which are connected to it is preponderant and keeps the lower end of the pipe 6 immersed in the mercury 8 of the capsule 7 The gas escaping through the holes 10 into the interior of the bell 5 cannot consequently pass to the burners.

When it is desired to light the gas burners the distributing pressure is increased at the gas works so as to bring it for example from 60 mm. to mm. The bell 5 is then raised and brings the pipe 6 into the position shown in Fig. 2 in which the lower end of this pipe is disengaged from the mercury while its upper extremity projects through the opening .4, its movement upwards being then limited by a suitable collar or flange- 18. Immediately the gas passes into the burner this latter will light up in consequence'of the ignition of the gas produced by the pilot light 17. During this movement of the bell 5, the lever 11 oscillates on its pivot 12, bringing the rod 15 into the position of Fig. 2, in'which the counterweight l6, moved out of its position of equilibrium, comes into operation to keep the pipe 6 in its raised position correspondllO ing to the operation of the burner. This movement having been obtained, the distributing pressure is restored to its normal value mm. for example). The regulation has been effected .in such a way that the parts remain in the position of Fig. 2 as long as this normal pressure is maintained.

l/Vhen it is desired to extinguish theburners, the distributing pressure at the gas works is brought to .a suitably low value mm. for example) and the weight of the bell 5 and of the parts connected there to then become preponderant and suflice to produce a loweringof the bell and the tube 6, into the position shown in Fig. 1, raising likewise the counterweights 14: and 16.

To adjust the apparatus the pressure at the gas works is adjusted to that necessary for lighting, the apparatus being placed in the position of Fig. l and the counterweight 14 screwed up until it approaches near to the pivot 12. it is then screwed back slowly outwards until the bell 5 rises thus determining the working of the apparatus and :the lighting of the burner The counterweight 14 is then secured in any convenient manner its operation being then assured for 'the variation of pressure determined.

This arrangement permits of ensuring the working of the apparatus that is :to say the lighting and extinguishing of the gas burners serving for example for the lighting of a town in an absolutely automatic manner by producing simplythe working of these apparatus by .a variation of pressure in the distributing mains from the gas works. It is also possible to dividethe gas burners of a lighting system into several groups the lighting and extinguishing of which can be obtained by suitably differing pressures which will permit for example of extinguishing at any hour of the night a suitably fixed number of gas burners. The general arrangement permits also of ensuiing the operation of gas burners at any desired hour of the day or night in case of'need by a simple variation of the pressure carried out at the gas works.

One practical embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example but it will be understood that many modifications :and adaptations thereof may be provided without departing from the spiritand scope of thein-vention and that I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

WVhat I claim is:

1. An apparatus for lighting and extinguishing gas burnerscomprising an axially movable bell, a feeder tube carried by the bell, said feeder tube terminating at its inner end within the bell and at its outer end exteriorly of the bell and'beingadapted to conduct gas from the space within-the bell to a gas burner, a gas supply tube extending into thebell, through the mouth of the latter, means surrounding the bell for holding a fluid in :positionto seal the mouth of the bell, means carried by the supply tube for sealing the inner. end of the feeder tube when the bell is in a certain position in respect to the supply tube and for permitting passage of gas from the bell into the feeder tube when the bell'has'moved :from said-po sition, and-gravity means adapted to act in conjunction with the pressure from said supply tube to move the bell fromsaid certain position when adefinite pressure has been reached in the bell.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a vertically disposed gas supply tube having a lateral port adjacent to its upper end, a bell receivin'g'the upper end of the supply tube and being movable vertically in respect to the supply tube, a feeder tube extending through the icrown of the bell in vertical alinement with said sup-. ply tube, said feeder tube beingzmovable with the bell and being adapted to conduct gas to a :gas burner, means for holding a sealing fluid in position to seal the space between the mouth of said belland the outer wall-of said supply tube, means carried at the upper end of said supply tube for holding a sealingfluid .in position to sealzt-helower end of said If88Cl8I:l3l1b8 when the "bell is in its lowermost position in respect to the feeder tube, said .bell normally being held in its lowermost position'by gravity, and gravity means connected with said feeder tube :forassisting the pressure from said supply tube within said bell to raise said feeder tube above said second named sealing means when a definite pressure has been reached avithin .the bell and to hold said feeder tube in raised position until the pressure falls below a pressure lower than said definite pressure.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprisinga vertically disposed gas supply tube having a lateral port adjacent to its upper end, a bell receiving the upper end of the supply tube and being movable vertically in respect to the supply tube, a feeder tube extending through the crown of the bell in vertical a-linem'ent with said sup ply tube, said feeder tube being movable with the bell and being adapted "to conduct gas to a .gas burner, means for holding a sealing fluid in position toseal the space between the mouth of said bell and the outer wall of said supply tube, means carried at the upper end ofsaid supply tube for holding .a sealing fluid in position to seal the lower end of said feeder tube when the bell is in its glowermost position in respect to the feeder tuba-said bell normally being held in its lowermost position by gravity, a lever feeder tube is in its lowermost position and fulcrumed intermediate of its length at a at the same side of said fulcrum as the first a point lateral of said feeder tube and being named counterweight when the feeder tube pivotally connected at one end to said feeder has been raised from its lowermost position.

a tube, a counterweight adjustably engaged In testimony I have hereunto set my hand with the other end portion of said lever, and at Paris, France, this 25th day of April, a second counterweight carried by said lever 1923. nearly directly above said fulcrum when the PIERRE MINAUX. 

